Misery Loves Company
by Crazy Chick 74
Summary: This is a two-shot that shows what I'd like to see when they put Joey and Lauren back together again. Of course, I pretty much know this isn't going to happen...
1. Chapter 1

**So this is what I'd like to see when they (and I'm hoping here) get Joey and Lauren back together. I've heard a few rumours about what is going to happen so have used some of that in the storyline. This was going to be a one-shot... but was a bit long so I've broken it in two. Enjoy!  
**

**Misery Loves Company.**

**Chapter 1.**

The world was a lonely place... or it was for Lauren Branning anyway. The last four weeks had been painful and now she was alone. Nobody really spoke to her anymore and she'd pretty much brought it on herself. She had no one to blame other than herself... and maybe her blonde ex-best friend.

Her family were despairing of her; they seemed to have given up on her completely. Every time they looked in her direction all she could see was silent judgement and pity. She could see the concern on her mum's face but every time she spoke to Lauren, all Lauren could hear was the conversation where she was accused of taking her pills. The trust was gone... in both directions it seemed. Her sister barely spoke to her since the night of the party for Jay. Lauren assumed (correctly) that she must've said something after her drink had been spiked but for the life of her she couldn't remember.

One thing she couldn't forget was seeing Joey in the pub the day after. The words he said to her that day were emblazoned on her heart. It was all she could hear every second of every day. She had laid her heart on the line for him and he'd stomped all over it. The really sad thing was Lauren couldn't really blame him. He was right about a lot of the things he'd said.

And then to top it all off she'd screwed things up with her remaining friends a few days later. Why she'd thought it was a good idea to kiss Tyler, her best friend's fiancé, was anyone's guess. She certainly had no clue. It was just the green eyed monster rearing its ugly head and she'd reacted in desperation when she saw Lucy fawning over Joey. Whatever the reasoning it caused a permanent rift between her and both friends that were affected by her moment of irrationality. And the rest of her friends steered clear of her now too. Not that she gave them the opportunity to be near her anyway. She hadn't left the house in two weeks and that wasn't going to change anytime soon.

Lauren was lying on the couch in the lounge, much like she'd done for days on end. She pulled her duvet over her and tried to lose herself in the monotony of the TV. The problem was every time she closed her eyes she remembered the host of memories tied up with where she was lying now. This was the place where they'd first made love. She could remember she was lying just like she was now and he was hovering above her. The look in his eyes as they held her gaze had taken her breath away. Lauren closed her eyes and it was almost like she was back there. She bit her lip as she remembered the way it felt as he pushed into her that first time. It had been unlike any other time before for her. And it made her miss him even more. Lauren curled up into a ball on the couch, trying to push the memories away, not wanting to make everything even more painful than it already was.

Her thoughts drifted elsewhere. They turned to her dad. She hadn't seen him for a while now; not since before Joey dumped her but he was caught up with his wife and the child they were expecting. Why would he be interested in his problem daughter? Lauren knew she was well down on his list of priorities but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. It hurt a lot in fact.

It wasn't like he was the only one though. They'd all lost interest in her. Lauren turned her attention back to the TV and stared at it blankly for almost an hour.

*JL*JL*

She needed to get out of the house. It was doing her head in staying here and it wasn't like anyone would notice if she wasn't here either. It had been days since she'd spoken to anyone and no one had made an effort to speak to her. She grabbed her mobile and fired off a text, a flash of inspiration coming to her. She didn't have to wait long until she got a reply and it made her smile.

*JL*JL*

She threw her clothes into a bag, a few keepsakes she couldn't bear to leave behind and did up the zip as she fought the tears that were threatening. She glanced around the room one last time and walked down the stairs, pausing slightly to catch her breath before going through the front door. Everyone was out for the night, having left her home on her own. She wondered briefly how long it would be before they noticed she was gone.

*JL*JL*

Abi walked into the kitchen for breakfast, finding her mum and nan already at the table. "Is your sister going to deign us with her presence this morning?"

"She's not there." Abi said softly.

"What do you mean she's not there?"

"I thought she was down in the lounge still. She's not been there all night." Abi explained.

"Then where is she?" Her mum asked loudly.

"I don't know. I'm not her keeper." She said in disgust. "Mum, calm down. You know where she probably is. She probably got drunk somewhere and ended up at some random bloke's house. She's an adult... I'm sure she's more than capable of looking after herself."

"And what exactly is it from the last few weeks, Abi, that makes you think your sister is capable of doing anything for herself?" Tanya said angrily. "Your sister is a mess. You know that. So why should I be calm about this? She's been falling to pieces for days." Tanya grabbed her mobile from the side. "Max, I need you to come to the house... Yes it's important." She said, fear clearly heard in her voice.

*JL*JL*

Max knocked on the door and Tanya opened it quickly. "What's going on?" he asked.

"It's Lauren. She's missing..." Tanya said softly.

"What do you mean she's missing?"

"She's been gone since last night. She was here when we went out and we didn't realise until we got up this morning. I assumed she was up in her room when I got home from the pub and Abi thought she was down in the lounge when she went up to bed after her date with Jay."

"So you're telling me no one noticed that she's been gone all night?" Max accused.

"And where have you been, Max, eh?" She shot back at him. "You haven't been here the past few weeks, have you? You haven't seen the state she's been in since Joey broke her heart for a second time. Don't start judging me for my parenting skills... I suggest you look closer to home before you look at me." She glared at him, remembering once again why things hadn't worked between them.

"You could've called me..."

"I shouldn't have to, Max. She's your daughter. She needed her dad."

"The two of you fighting isn't going to help find her, is it?" Cora said as she joined them in the kitchen.

"We should start looking for her..." Max said. "Did she take anything with her?" he asked.

"Yeah, some of her clothes are gone." Tanya said softly.

"Right, I'll go to the Vic and R&R's and see if she's been in." Max said. "You go and speak to her friends and the people in the market." He turned to Cora. "Can you stay here and let us know if she comes home?"

The parents separated and went to see if they could find their eldest daughter. Tanya spoke to each of the market traders but no one had seen Lauren for days. She then went into the cafe and spoke to Lucy and Whitney. "Have either of you seen Lauren?"

"Nope." Lucy said, smiling at her.

"Whitney?"

"Not for a couple of weeks..." she replied.

"Which is only what she deserves after what she did..." Lucy murmured.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Tanya asked sharply.

"She kissed Tyler in the middle of the pub... because she was drunk." Lucy said, a smug look on her face. "Again..."

Tanya's heart sank. She looked at Whitney and she saw the anger in her eyes. Anger focused at her daughter. "Lauren has disappeared... we haven't seen her since last night and we're worried about her."

"Such a shame..." Lucy said in a mocking tone.

"I thought you were supposed to be her best friends."

"That was before she kissed my fiancé." Whitney said, not looking quite as happy about the subject matter as the blonde girl was.

"And after the way she treated Joey and has been behaving... she doesn't deserve our friendship." Lucy said scornfully.

"Well, I hope you still feel that way when we find her dead in a gutter somewhere..." Tanya said softly, her own words upsetting her as much as anything the girls had said, "because I'm sure you both know that Lauren has needed her friends more than ever in the last month. As for Joey... he broke her heart for a second time... and he seems to have all her friends helping him through his time of trauma, so excuse me if I'm not quite so sympathetic towards him." Tanya said, getting angrier the longer she spoke. She turned and walked quickly out of the cafe, heading towards Booty. She needed to speak to Poppy.

*JL*JL*

Poppy and Alice were both in the salon. "Hi Auntie Tanya..." Alice said, smiling at her.

"Have either of you seen Lauren?" she asked.

"No, not for a couple of weeks." They both replied.

"Is everything okay, Tanya?" Poppy asked.

Tanya shook her head, "No, she's gone missing." Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at the two young girls. "I never realised she was on her own... Now I find out her friends have all abandoned her when she needed them the most." She was sobbing by the time she'd finished. "You must think I'm an awful mother for not realising how unhappy and alone she was."

"No, Auntie Tanya... we know Lauren. She keeps things to herself. She didn't even open up to Joey when they were together." Alice said softly, putting her arm around her aunt's shoulders.

"She wouldn't let us anywhere near her, Tanya," Poppy said softly. "She stopped coming out and seeing us... I guess we should've made an effort to go and see her."

"It wouldn't have made any difference..." Tanya whispered.

"Do you think Joey knows where she is?" Alice asked.

"I don't know, Alice." Tanya sighed.

*JL*JL*

Max had had no joy in the Vic, although he'd discovered from Fatboy and Tyler that Lauren had been pretty much ostracized by her friends in the last few weeks. His only hope now was R&R's. He walked into the club and down the stairs.

"We're closed. Come back later." A voice called out and Max quickly recognised it as his nephew.

"Joey..."

"Uncle Max. Alright?" he asked as he continued to bottle up and prepare for the night ahead.

"Joey, I'm looking for Lauren." He said.

"Here is the last place she would be, believe me." He said as he continued to work.

"She's missing. No one's seen her since last night. Some of her clothes have gone. We're a bit worried about her..."

Joey stopped and lifted his head to stare at his uncle. Max could see the pain in his eyes and he knew their break-up hadn't been a walk in the park for him or Lauren. "I haven't seen her in a week or so." He said softly.

"That's what everyone keeps saying." Max muttered.

Joey paused, "Do you want a hand looking for her?" he asked.

"Have you got the time?" Max asked. "You know her better than we do these days... you might be able to think of some places we haven't looked."

"Give me a couple of minutes..." Joey said, walking out from behind the bar and towards the office. He knocked on the door, "Sharon, you got a second?"

"Sure, Joey. What do you want?"

"Uncle Max is in the bar. Lauren's missing and I've said I'd help look for her. Is it okay if I leave?"

"Joey, the bar opens in a few hours..."

Joey shifted uncomfortably on his feet, "I feel responsible for her disappearing, Sharon. Things haven't been good between her and her friends since we split up and I just let them treat her that way. I knew she needed them and I didn't make them stop behaving the way they were so I want to help find her." He looked into the eyes of his boss, "I have a really bad feeling there's something wrong."

She could see the emotion on his face and she knew he still cared deeply for his cousin, possibly even still loved her. "Go, Joey." She said softly. She made a snap decision and got to her feet, "I'll come with you." She added, grabbing her jacket and walking towards him. "Let's go." She said.

"What about the club?"

"Family is more important, right?" she told him with a smile.

"Thanks Sharon."

They both walked back out into the bar and found Max waiting for them. "We're coming to help, Max." Sharon said.

"That's great. Thanks." Max said, sighing in relief. "Well I've been to the Vic and here and Tan's speaking to her friends and people in the market."

"I can try a few places we used to go," Joey said softly.

"I'll go and see how Tanya is," Sharon said. "We can keep looking for her, Max. She'll be fine. I know it."

The three of them left the bar and Sharon locked it behind her. They all separated. Max was growing increasingly worried. He'd tried calling Lauren while he'd been waiting for Joey to come back into the bar but she either didn't have her mobile with her or she had ignored his call. His stomach was in knots and he had no idea what he would do if they couldn't find her. This was the recurring nightmare he'd had ever since Lauren had first started losing control of her drinking. His mobile rang as he walked back to the market and he pulled it from his pocket quickly, hoping to see her name on the screen. He sighed when he saw it was Kirsty. "Babe..." he sighed again as he took her call.

"Where are you, Max?" she asked.

"You know where I am..."

"Still sorting out whatever the emergency it was she had?" she said spitefully.

"Kirst... Lauren is missing, alright. I'm searching for her. Tanya is out searching for her. No one knows where she is."

"Do you want any help?"

"We're fine, I think." He said, knowing that Lauren wouldn't respond well if his wife was the one to find her.

"Are you sure? I haven't got to be at the Vic for a few hours."

"It's fine, babe. I'd better go."

"Call me later, Max." She said before ending the call.

He was walking past Booty when Tanya came out of the door, "Max? Anything?"

He shook his head, "Nothing. Joey and Sharon have said they would help us find her. I thought Sharon was looking for you actually," He said, watching as she deflated before him. He stepped closer and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly. It was as much for him as it was for her.

"She's been alone for weeks, Max." Tanya whispered into his neck. "All of her friends have abandoned her. Lucy basically hates her."

"It'll be okay, babe." He said softly.

"Should we call the police?" she asks him.

"They won't do anything until she's been missing for two days, babe." He said. Tanya began to cry against his shoulder, her whole body shaking as the fear of what might have happened to their daughter began to sink in.

"I feel so guilty..." she sobbed.

He pulled her away from him, his hands cupping her face, "What for?"

"I'm a rubbish mum, Max. I didn't even realise how miserable my daughter was. I'm useless. She deserves so much better than me."

"I've hardly been that great, have I?" He told her, "You were right earlier with what you said. I should've been there for her." He hugged his ex-wife again, "This is no one's fault, Tan. We just need to concentrate on finding her, okay?" he said softly.

"Okay."

*JL*JL*

Joey felt sick with worry as he went to the various places she could be. He tried the park first as it was somewhere important to both of them. It was where he'd first told her he loved her. Back in the heady days of their relationship... before things started to go wrong. Actually it wasn't that they went wrong as such... just other things began to interfere. Firstly his dad found out and blackmailed him into breaking up with her. Before his dad found out their relationship had been amazing. Lauren rarely drank and she was happy. He made her happy. Then Derek had scared her so badly she'd got drunk and then crashed the car. Ever since then her drinking had spiralled out of control. Initially it had been his fault, when he first dumped her but since they'd got back together on Christmas Day, her drinking had been a result of everything that was happening at her house. Her parents had really screwed her up. Firstly her dad and his secret wife... which broke her mum's heart and caused her to abandon her daughters in order to deal with everything. So Lauren was left in charge of Abi and handling her dad's new wife as well.

Joey knew how much Lauren cared for both her parents... but especially her dad. She'd told him once how her dad had been like this idol for her when she was really small. Since her teenage years began though it was apparent the sheen had tarnished somewhat on his role in her life and he had been reduced to normal status rather than his previous lofty position.

He sighed when he saw Lauren wasn't at the park but he went to a couple of other places where she might be. He tried not to imagine that she might have got drunk and had a one night stand with some random stranger. Horrifyingly though, there was a small part of him that hoped that was the case because at least then there was some vague hope she might be okay. Joey was now beginning to worry that some harm might have befallen her. That was more painful for him to consider than her being with someone else.

*JL*JL*

Max strode up to the Arches and poked his head around the corrugated doors, "Jay, have you seen Lauren at all?"

Jay looked up from the engine he was working on, "No, Max. Is there a problem?"

Dexter also looked up, frowning when he saw the worry on the man's face. "Yeah, Lauren's been missing since last night. We're worried about her." Max explained.

"Are you sure she's not just drunk somewhere?" Jay asked softly.

"No we're not... but she's taken some clothes with her." Max wiped his hand across his face, "Tan said that she's not been drinking for weeks now... it was pretty much all they could do to get her off the couch any day."

"So she's missing then?" Dexter asked.

"Yeah." Max sighed.

"Have you asked her friends?" Dexter asked.

Max glanced at Jay for a second, "What friends?" he asked softly. "She doesn't have any friends. None of them will have anything to do with her because of her drinking."

"Do you need some help?" Jay asked guiltily, knowing Lauren's downfall had started at the party Abi had held in his honour.

"We've got a few people looking but some extra hands would be great." Max told them, "Only if it doesn't get you in trouble with Phil..." he added.

"What doesn't get them in trouble with me?" Phil said as he walked up behind Max.

"Lauren's missing..." Dexter said, "Max was just asking if we'd seen her and we offered to help look for her..."

"She's an adult... I'm sure she's more than capable of taking care of herself."

"She's also a drunk, Phil." Jay said bluntly, "And she's been going through some issues in the last few weeks. Surely you understand what that's like, eh?" he said, crossing his arms and squaring up to his boss.

Phil was silent for several seconds before sighing, "Fine but you make up the time next week, right?" he told them.

"Thanks Phil." Max said.

"I'll keep an eye out for her." Phil said as he walked out of the garage.

"Sharon's looking with Tanya so you may want to keep an eye on Denny..." Max said.

"I will."

*JL*JL*

Max walked into the Vic and found a crowd of people gathered. "I just came to see if you'd heard anything, Alfie..." he said as he walked up to the bar.

"No, sorry mate." Alfie replied, "I've found you some people to help with the search though..." he said, nodding towards everyone who was stood nearby.

Max looked at them and saw a lot of people he wouldn't have expected to find there; everyone from market traders to some of her former friends, including Fatboy, Poppy, Tyler and Whitney. "Thanks guys." The door opened behind him and Tanya and Sharon walked into the pub. "Your help means a lot to me and Tanya. Lauren is in a pretty bad place at the moment." He said, glancing at her friends. "We need to find her because we're worried she might do some harm to herself." He added softly.

Those gathered dispersed, arranging to contact Alfie if they had any news; Alfie would then contact either Max or Tanya. Tanya was devastated by this time and Max took her into his arms, trying to offer her some comfort. She wrapped her arms around his waist as she cried against him, her hold tightening on him as she felt him kiss her hair. "We need to find her, Max." She whispered.

"I know, babe." He murmured. "I know."

The door to the pub opened again and Kirsty walked through the door. She stopped when she saw Max and Tanya standing together. She stared at them both, Max meeting her eyes for several seconds. He saw the pain on her face but he couldn't let go of his former wife... the woman he adored more than anyone else in the world. Kirsty watched as Max closed his eyes and hugged Tanya a little closer. In those few moments her heart was broken and she knew she'd lost. She was never going to be the one he wanted. She glanced at Alfie and threw him a silent apology before turning to leave and walking back out. She ran back to the flat and began to pack her clothes in the bags she'd only recently unpacked. She called a cab and then sat down and began to write a letter to her husband. She finished it and put it on top of a brown envelope that she'd never actually thrown away. Just over an hour after she left the pub she was climbing into the black cab she'd booked and then she was leaving the square. Permanently.

TBC

**A/N: I know there isn't much Lauren or Joey in it... but it's setting the stage for the second half of the story. And it's resolved a few things I'd really like to see. I will post the other half tomorrow... which is (apparently) going to be a busy posting day for me.**


	2. Chapter 2

**So here is the second part. I was stunned by the responses I got from the first chapter. I hope this one goes down as well. It has more Joey and Lauren in... so that's good news.**

**Chapter 2.**

The day had passed with no success for the searchers. Lauren seemed to have simply disappeared off the face of the earth. Cora and Abi were calling around hospitals to see if Lauren had ended up in one of them but so far they hadn't found her. Max and Tanya found this somewhat comforting although they were still worried.

Joey sat in the middle of the square as night drew in. It had started to rain now and people were stopping the search for the night, until there was better light and the weather was better. This wasn't something Joey was particularly happy about... his concern for the girl he loved grew the longer she was missing.

"Joey... there you are." She said as she sat beside him on the bench. She held an umbrella above her head. He said nothing, mulling over other places to search for Lauren. "I've been looking for you all day." She said and he could hear the smile in her voice. He could feel water dripping off her umbrella onto his shirt and it seemed more offensive to him than the rain pouring down from the sky.

"I've been busy, Lucy." He said.

"Doing what?" She asked, turning to face him. He said nothing, feeling her eyes on him. "Tell me you weren't with the other idiots looking for _her_?"

He turned to look at her, "Aren't you worried about her at all?" he asked.

"Why would I be worried about her? This isn't the first time she's disappeared like this. She's a drunk, Joey. She's selfish. She doesn't think about anyone other than herself."

"A lot of what you just said seems to describe someone else I know..." he said pointedly. "She was your friend, Lucy."

"She deserves everything she gets..." she muttered.

He's silent for a few seconds, "She wasn't lying, was she?" he said. It wasn't a question but a statement.

"What do you mean?"

"You spiked her drink." He stared at her and saw the slight falter in her expression. "I don't even know why I didn't believe her. I don't know why I thought you were my friend. Or hers for that matter."

"I am your friend, Joey."

"No, you're not." He shouted. "You're a scheming cow and I'm an idiot for thinking otherwise." He got to his feet and turned to face her, "Leave me alone, Lucy. I don't want to be in a relationship with you. Fuck, I don't even know if I want to be friends with you at the moment." He turned away from her and started to walk away.

"What is so special about her?" Lucy asked.

"She loves me..."

"I love you, Joey." She said, standing up and stepping towards him. She dropped her umbrella on the ground, despite the fact it's still pouring with rain as she brings her hand up to stroke his face.

Joey pushed her hand away and took a step back from her, "I don't love you, Lucy. I never did. You were a distraction for me because I was confused about how I felt about Lauren. I love her, Lucy. I've loved her ever since the moment I saw her... before I even set eyes on you. She was the person I wanted, Lucy. Her... not you. It would never be you... if you were the last girl on earth, it would never be you." He shouted as he stepped closer to her, his finger pointed at her, the anger shone from his eyes. "Why do I keep letting people influence my relationship with her? First it was my dad and now it's you. I really am an idiot... just like you said." He looked up at the sky. "Go Lucy..." he murmured.

"It doesn't matter if you don't love me, Joey." She said softly, taking his hand in hers.

"It matters to me..." he whispered. "It wasn't just her heart I broke that night in the pub. My heart broke as well. I love her. Every day without her feels like a year. I can't breathe without her in my life. I've never loved anyone but her and I'll never love anyone other than her. So believe me when I say, Lucy, there will never be anything between us."

She looked down at the ground, "I believe you..." she said softly. "I'm sorry..." she added, lifting her eyes to look at him.

"It's not me you should be apologising to, Luce." He told her, frustration in his voice. "You had better hope nothing has happened to her because if it has... you are in for a world of pain. That I can promise you."

"Anything that's happened to her will have been brought on by her own actions... it's nothing to do with me!" She protested.

"You started all this, Lucy and you are going to deal with the repercussions of it... believe me." He told her and in that moment he was more like his father than he had ever been.

"You can't do that... No one would believe you. It would be your word against mine."

"I'd believe him..." Cora said, stepping out of the shadows, a cigarette in her hand, "I knew you were behind this, Lucy Beale and now I've heard you admitting to it."

"I'd believe him too..." Max said, moving into the gardens. He smiled at his nephew, "Apparently there are some benefits to smoking..." he said, lifting his hand and taking a drag on the cigarette in it. "And my family want me to quit..." he chuckled.

"Go Lucy..." Joey said. "I'm sorry if I hurt you... I never meant for that to happen. I thought you knew it was only ever going to be a casual thing when we were together."

She looked up at him and despite the rain he could clearly see the tears on her face. There was a tiny part of him that felt guilty for being the cause of them but more of him remembered the look on Lauren's face when he ended it in the Vic, for the second time... or third time, if you're counting. Any guilt that lingered over Lucy's misery was obliterated by that.

Lucy walked away from him, back towards her house. Joey stood in the middle of the gardens, looking contemplatively at Cora and his uncle. "Go home, Joey." Max said softly.

"Have we stopped looking for her then?" he asked.

"For now. There's nothing we can do tonight. Everyone's going to get back together in the morning."

Joey stared at his uncle, disbelief flowing through his body. "I'm going home to change into some dry clothes and then I'm going back out there to look for her."

"Joey... call it a night." Max said.

"We get that you care about her, Joey. We both heard what you said to Lucy. We know how you feel about her." Cora said, stubbing out the cigarette she'd been smoking.

"I'm not abandoning her." Joey said angrily. "I've done that too many times already." He turned and began walking towards his house. "Not again." He called back over his shoulder. He walked into his house and ran up the stairs to his room, stripping off his clothes as he paced around the room. Adrenaline was coursing through his body and he felt a wave of fury crash into him. He grabbed some different clothes and pulled them on. He picked up a jacket and went to put it on but changed his mind and threw it onto his bed. He stood still for almost a minute then drew back his fist and slammed it into the wall beside his door. He hit it with such force a hole appeared. His hand hurt and when he pulled it back out his knuckles were scraped and bleeding. Shaking his hand briefly and clenching his fist he quickly went back down the stairs and out of the front door.

*JL*JL*

He stood on the street for a couple of minutes and he might as well have not changed because his clothes were already soaking. The pain in his left hand reminded him of why he was standing there and what he needed to do. She was still missing. A piece of his heart was still missing. And he was going to find it; find her.

The rain fell harder and he laughed bitterly. Well that was just typical; your usual June weather. He lifted his hands and ran them through his hair, trying to think of where she could possibly be that they hadn't already looked. He knew she didn't have any friends outside of Walford so there was little chance of her being with someone and everyone she knew in the square would've known her parents were looking for her. They would've mentioned something to Max or Tanya. She didn't have many options left.

He walked back into the gardens and spun around, looking around the square, hoping for some inspiration. Something made him stop though. Something that shouldn't have been there and then he knew where she was. He strode towards what he'd seen and was soon knocking on the door of the one place they wouldn't have looked. The door opened, "Hi Lauren." He said softly.

*JL*JL*

"What are you doing here, Joey?" she asked.

"Are you going to ask me in?"

"I wasn't intending to..." she said stubbornly.

"Well we can either have this discussion here, in the cold and wet or we can go inside Jack's flat and have this chat where it's warm."

She stared at him as he stood shivering in the doorway. Finally she sighed, "Come in..." She stepped back and walked further into the flat, Joey trailing behind her.

"Do you know everyone has been looking for you today, Lauren?" Joey said softly as he shut the door.

"They needn't have bothered. It's not like anyone cares..." she whispered.

"I care..." he whispered to her, staring at her back as she stood frozen to the spot.

"Joey, you told me a month ago that we were through..."

"I was lying... to myself more than anything." He told her, "You were right. After the first time we slept together when you said we could never go back to being just cousins. We can't... and I don't want to." His last words were whispered. Lauren turned and looked at him. He looked at her properly for the first time and he noticed the changes in her. There were dark shadows under her eyes and she'd lost a lot of weight. He stepped towards her but she took a step back from him. He could see the fear on her face. "I'm not going to hurt you again, babe. Every time I do... it just hurts me too much."

"So you're here so you aren't in pain anymore?" she spluttered.

"I'm here because I love you." He said, another two steps taken forward. "I'm here because I need you in my life. I hated being apart from you. You'd think I'd have learnt the first time but I'm an idiot and I made the same mistake all over again." Step forward. She was looking at him like a frightened rabbit in the headlights. He was in front of her and his hand lifted automatically and pushed her hair behind her ear. She turned her head away from him and he wished he could take the pain from her face. "I love you, Lauren." He whispered. "I always have and I always will."

"You pushed me away..." she breathed.

"I love you..." he repeated.

"You hurt me."

"I love you..."

"Everybody hates me."

"I love you..." he said, his thumb stroking her cheek, "Nobody else matters... it's just you and me..."

"And Lucy..."

"There is no Lucy... Everyone knows what she did... well, they probably do by now. Your nan and dad heard her telling me what she did earlier this evening. I'm so sorry for not believing you, babe. I should've trusted you. I should've believed you and not her."

"Don't..." she whispered.

"Don't what?" he asked, stepping fractionally closer so their bodies were almost touching.

"I can't let you hurt me again..." she murmured.

"I won't."

"You said that last time." She said.

He moved closer to her and rested his forehead against hers. "I won't again... I promise you. I love you too much to do it again." He shivered slightly, his damp clothes finally having an impact on his body. He pulled away from her slightly then bent down to kiss her gently.

That one soft touch of his lips was enough to thaw her attitude towards him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. They were both panting for breath when the kiss ended. "You're freezing, Joe." She whispered.

"It's raining outside." He said simply.

Her hand slipped in his and she squeezed it gently. A frown appeared on her face when she saw him wince. "What?"

"My hand..." he told her.

She looked down and gasped when she saw the cuts, bruises and swelling. "What did you do?"

"Had a fight with a wall..." he told her, "It was a close match but I think I won. It definitely looks worse that I do..."

She took his other hand in hers and pulled him towards the kitchen. She pushed him to sit on one of the chairs and went to the freezer and pulled out some ice. She also grabbed a towel and then wrapped the ice in it and walked back over to him. She stood beside him and placed the towel on his hand. He winced slightly as the cold began to numb his throbbing knuckles. Her other hand brushed through his hair and he moaned softly, resting his forehead against her body as he closed his eyes. She bent down slightly and kiss the top of his head, "I've missed you..." she whispered.

"Missed you too." He murmured. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her onto his lap. Her arms went around his neck and they hugged each other tightly. His head was resting on her chest now and when he breathed in he realised it was the first time he'd felt even vaguely normal since that night. Her fingers were running through his hair again and he sighed. He lifted his head and looked at her face, seeing the desire in her eyes as well as the hurt. He kissed her softly, again leaving it up to her to deepen it. "I love you." He breathed against her lips.

"You're going to get sick if we don't you out of those clothes, Joe." She told him, her hand caressing the side of his face.

"You just want to see me naked again..." he teased, although there was an element of truth in his words.

She got to her feet and held out her hands towards him. He took her hands and she pulled him upright. "You might be right. Come with me, Joe." She tugged on his hands and pulled her behind him as she led him through the flat, into the bathroom. She started to remove the clothes from him carefully.

Joey tried to catch her eyes but she was definitely avoiding looking at his face. His fingers lifted her chin so she was looking into his eyes and he smiled at her gently. "I love you..." he whispered, his eyes staring into hers. "Do you believe me?" he asked her softly. She stared at him intently and then eventually nodded once. He pressed his lips to hers in a tender kiss. "I love you..." he said again.

"Why do you keep saying it?"

"I want to make sure you know. I want to make sure you believe what I'm telling you."

"Go and have a shower. We'll talk more when you're done."

"I don't have anything dry to put on..." he whispered.

"I'll get you some of Jack's clothes." She told him. "There are towels in the cupboard."

"Join me..." he murmured.

"I think we need to talk before we do that, Joe." She said softly.

He kissed her, deeper than his previous ones this time and pulled her against his almost naked body. She moaned into his mouth briefly but then pushed him away from her. "There's nothing I can do to convince you?" he asked her.

"No..." she whispered so he turned and walked towards the shower, shoving his boxers down his legs as he did. He heard her moan quietly before practically running from the room, the door shutting behind her with a slam. Joey smiled and went into the shower.

*JL*JL*

When he climbed back out of the shower there was a small pile of clothes stacked on the toilet and he pulled them on, glad to be back in something dry and warm. He left the bathroom and found Lauren sitting, curled up on the couch. He could see she was biting her thumb which he knew was a nervous habit she had. He sat beside her, leaving enough of a gap between them that she wouldn't feel threatened. "I'm ready." He said softly.

"Do you think we'd be able to go back to what it was before?" she asked him.

"I'm not sure, babe. Do you?"

She shook her head, "Too much has happened, Joe."

"So what now?" he asked, dreading what she was going to say next.

She looked at him, "We need to change, Joe. We need to do things differently this time..."

"So you're not saying no?" he asked, needing to double check what she was saying.

She turned her whole body to face him, "Things need to be different, Joe. You need to learn to trust me again and..."

"I do trust you!" he said.

"No, you don't, Joey and you're probably right not to. I've kept things hidden from you and I should've been telling you what was going on..."

"I would've been there for you, Lauren..." he whispered.

She reached for his hand, entwining their fingers and squeezing them gently. She saw him wince, "Sorry..." she whispered. "And I know you would've... I think that's why I didn't tell you." She admitted.

"I don't understand..."

"You were still getting over everything that happened with your dad... and we were only just back together... I didn't want to dump all my numerous problems on you."

"Babe, we're together... we're supposed to be there for each other. I want to be there for you... for the good and the bad."

"I know that now... It didn't feel like it at the time but I do know that now."

"So?"

"I promise that when my life goes to shit again... and you know it will, I promise I will speak to you about it and share my problems with you instead of turning to the booze."

"And what about that...?"

"I haven't had a drink for two weeks, Joe."

"You don't look like you've eaten anything either, babe." He said, lifting his free hand and brushing the side of her face. She blushed slightly at his words but didn't try to deny it. "I agree... things will be different this time. I'll trust you and you speak to me when you have any problems."

"Thanks Joe." She whispered.

"Can I hug you now?" he asked her softly. She nodded. He dragged her towards him, pulling her onto his lap and hugging her tightly. "I love you," he said for about the hundredth time that night.

"I love you too, Joe." She said softly. "But if you ever hurt me like that again..."

"I know." He breathed in her ear. He kissed the soft skin just in front of it, gradually moving until he's reached her mouth. She moaned into his mouth as his tongue brushed against hers. "Babe..." he groaned as she shifted on his lap.

"Joe... I need you..." she pleaded with him.

"Don't you think we're rushing this?"

She pulled away from him and stared into his eyes, "We've always gone about things a bit out of order..." she said with a shrug.

"Maybe this time we should do things the right way?" he whispered.

"Don't you want me?" she asked, biting her lip.

"Babe... when have I ever not wanted you? I just don't want us to rush things and end up making a mess of it again." He said.

"Just once..." she said, "Then we'll work on our relationship and make sure everything's fixed." She unleashed the puppy dog eyes on him and he sighed.

"Lauren... what are you doing to me?" he asked her.

"Is that a no?" she breathed.

Joey leant forward and kissed her, deepening it naturally. His hands swept round her back and then down to her bum, pulling her closer to him. She could feel how much his answer was yes to her question and it made her feel so much better. "Do you want to take this to the bedroom?" he whispered.

"You're already there, Joe..." she smiled. "We should probably make the bed though." He got to his feet, lifting her in his arms and then lowered her feet gently to the floor.

He pecked her lips softly. "You go and get the bedding and I'll move the furniture and pull out the couch..." he whispered to her. She nodded and scampered from the room. By the time she returned the furniture had been shifted and the couch was pulled out. Joey was lying on it, his hands behind his head. He smiled at her as she dumped the quilt and pillows next to him.

"Bit overdressed, Joe..." she said with a smile.

"I was waiting for you." He said. He sat up and pulled her over to the edge of the bed so she was standing between his legs. He began to slowly remove her clothes, a frown appearing on his face as he saw how much weight she'd lost. "Tomorrow I'm going to go and buy you all the foods you like and you're going to eat all of it without argument."

"Okay..." she whispered, watching as his hands moved tenderly over her body.

"You need to put some weight back on, babe." He looked up at her face and she bit her lip when she saw the fear in his eyes.

"I wasn't hungry..." she told him. "I just felt sick when I tried to eat anything."

"I'm sorry..." he said, resting his forehead against her body and kissing her stomach. "I'm sorry for making you hurt so badly, babe." He undressed her in silence after that until she stood naked before him. "You're still beautiful..." he said.

"You're wearing too many clothes, Joe." She breathed, running her fingers through his hair.

His hands settled on her hips and he pushed her backwards, so he could get to his feet. Lauren stood watching him as he speedily removed his clothes. "What?" he asked.

She giggled, "You seem a little keen..."

"Babe... it's been a long time." He pulled her against his body, brushing his hands over her skin. "I've missed you... I've missed being with you." He kissed her.

"So the bit earlier about you wanting to wait before we did this...?" she asked him softly.

"I meant it... but now that we're doing this, well, what I said... it didn't mean I didn't want you." He closed his eyes, "God, I want you so badly, Lauren. I've wanted you pretty much the whole time I've known you. I wanted you the first time I saw you, babe." He kissed her passionately and she clung to him a little tighter.

Her hand reached down and she was stroking his length, a moan slipping from his mouth as she increased her speed on him. Her other hand pressed against his chest and he fell to the bed, a stunned expression on his face. "Don't look so worried, Joe." She told him, kneeling on the bed and crawling up towards him. Her hand gripped him once more and stroked him firmly. She smiled as she saw his eyes roll back in his head. He closed them and Lauren saw his hands clench at the sheets. She took advantage of his distraction and she moved and lowered onto him. His eyes shot open, locking on hers straightaway. "So good..." she murmured, leaning forward and brushing her lips over his.

"Babe," he said, his hand brushing the side of her face. "I love you."

"I know you do, Joe. I love you too." She kissed him again tenderly, "Joe... make love to me." She breathed against his lips.

"Your wish is my command, babe." He said, shifting his hips and rolling them over so Lauren was now beneath him. Their eyes remained locked on each other as his hips thrust against hers repeatedly. Lauren moaned his name over and over as the tension built within her. Joey lowered his face to her neck and he bit on the skin gently, sucking and licking it afterwards to soothe it. Her body was tightening on him more and more and it was just pushing him closer to oblivion. The moment struck and he felt her break apart around him within seconds of him coming. He collapsed on top of her, her arms tightening around his neck, pulling him close. To think he'd given this up. He had truly been an idiot. "Thank you, Lauren..." he whispered against her skin.

"What for?"

"Taking me back... again." he whispered. "For forgiving me for the way I've treated you." He kissed her as he rolled them to one side. "For loving me..." He pressed a kiss to her mouth again. Lauren snuggled against him, his arms pulling her as close to him as she could get and she kissed his chest, directly above his heart. They lay in silence for several minutes, Joey pulling the duvet over the top of them so they didn't get cold. "Babe, I should call your parents, let them know I've found you."

"Can you wait till the morning?" she whispered. "I'd like it to just be us tonight..." she added, "Just the two of us for a little while longer."

"Anything you want, babe." He told her, pressing his mouth to her hair and kissing her.

THE END.

**A/N: So what did you think? See - absolutely no way we'll see this in the show, right? Although I think it would be good if we did.**


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